Best Lip Gloss Roundup

Lip gloss. The shiny, moisturizing, sometimes sticky, colored goop we girls like to slather on our lips. It’s a good thing, is it not? Especially if you’re one of those girls (currently pointing at myself) that tends to chew or lick her lips a lot. This can spell disaster for lipstick, but lip gloss just seems to gracefully fade away when under attack. Thus it is the lip enhancer of choice for many a woman. But there are A LOT of glosses out there. I don’t know if anyone has attempted to count them up, but I’m sure the number is ridiculous. It’s great when you find your one or two go tos. We’ve tapped some of our girlfriends to give their recommendations on their best glosses, tried and true. Let the list begin!

First we’ll start with Emma, who provided the featured photo for this post on the homepage. Yes, that is her bowl of gloss that sits next to her door, so she can quickly grab or apply some gloss when headed out the door. That’s some gloss dedication! Here’s her rundown on a few of her favorites.

Kiehl’s Lip Balm in Hue 58B – The color is very light, and it’s more of a moisturizer than a true gloss, but it’s one of my favorites because of the creamy texture and hint of color.

Trucco Divinyls gloss in Firecracker – This is what I wear when I want a bright red lip. The color stays a true red for hours instead of turning light pink like a lot of lipsticks/glosses do. I’ve had the same tube for years because the color is really pigmented. It’s a little sticky, but not terrible.

Ulta Minerals in Blush Crystal – I had a coupon to Ulta and bought this on a whim. Now it’s one of my go to’s. I like the creamy texture, and it has more pigment than Kiehl’s. Not very sticky at all.

Zoya Hot Lips in Visa – This is pretty sticky, but the purple color is rich and lasts quite a long time for a gloss. It’s not a color I wear everyday, but when I do, it really stands out.

MAC Cremesheen Lip Glass in Just Superb – I really don’t wear lip gloss that much (I’m more of a lipstick girl), but when I do I use this MAC product. I like it because it’s a soft neutral pink, it’s more opaque than other lip glosses, it smells like vanilla, and it doesn’t get goopy and sticky after 5 seconds like a lot of other lip glosses do.

For the non-gloss wearing girl

Our friend Erin gives us a breakdown of a few of her favorites. First, her thoughts on glosses: “When it comes to lip gloss, I think I have tried absolutely everything, but I’m fairly utilitarian when it comes to gloss. I hate the ones that are all sticky, or get “gloopy” (technical term). And when they just sit on top of your lips like the skin that forms on pudding that’s been out too long, ew. So, I have two that I fairly well live by for everyday.”

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lipgloss – Some of these glosses have color tint, some just shimmer, some just give the wet look, most have the awesome ability to double as breath freshener when you lick your lips. I usually just put lip liner on, throw some of this gloss over it, and it lasts a ridiculously long time. And it makes your lips feel all soft, and it is intensely kissable (see: taste and not sticky factor). Good for everyday or over a favorite lip color.

“I use these two all the time, and I haven’t had chapped lips in like a decade or something. And I’m also sensitive to everything (once tried a random lipstick- I looked like someone had punched me in the mouth, my lips swelled up so big) and these have never caused an allergic reaction. Good stuff. Mainly I like these because you look “done” not “overdone.”

Bonne Bell Lip Smacker Lip Gloss in Dr Pepper – I have been using this for years, and almost all of the women in my family, on my mom’s side, use it. My favorite thing about it is that it gives my lips a light tint, without the use of lipstick or gloss. With that in mind, its a cheap alternative to traditional glosses, while giving the moisturizing benefits of a chapstick! Also, user warning, don’t let your male friends borrow this unless you want them to walk around with pink lips. . .

The last recommendation from our friends comes from Amy. Short and sweet, she tells us why she likes her two go tos.

Nars and Laura Mercier Lip Gloss – I love my Nars and Laura Mercier lip glosses, especially since I don’t tend to wear a lot of lipstick. Both go on silky smooth but the Nars definitely has more coverage/color while the Laura Mercier tends to be subtle (at least the colors I have). It would work well over lipstick.

Great recommendations ladies! Fullclutch readers, any other recommendations to throw out there? Leave them in the comments!